


But You Promised

by Thorki_ed



Series: Art-inspired One-shots [5]
Category: The Avengers (2012), Thor (Movies)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Angst, Cheating, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-18
Updated: 2012-09-18
Packaged: 2017-11-14 11:51:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/514936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thorki_ed/pseuds/Thorki_ed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Loki kept his promise, and one time he didn't.<br/><img/></p><p>Based on <a href="http://thorki-smut.tumblr.com/post/31762255706/but-you-promised-rated-mature-5-1-mentions-of">this picture.</a> Credit goes to <a href="http://wantstobelieve.tumblr.com"> wantstobelieve.</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	But You Promised

i. 

Thor bawled and bawled, his voice going hoarse, but he wanted another sweet, and Frigga was at a loss. Loki sat by quietly, watching his brother’s face turn red with the effort to continue his wailing. 

They had been put to bed already, and Loki stared across the room to where Thor threw his blankets about in his hissy fit. When Frigga left them, Thor had been reduced to sobbing now that there was nobody to tend to him. 

“I can get you another treat, brother,” Loki offered.

Thor sniffled and Loki could see that he wiped his nose with the red blankets. “You promise?”

“Yeah, I promise.” With that, the toddler wobbled out of the rooms. Even as a young child, he was clever and observative, tracking the actions of everyone he came in contact with. The sweets were hardly hidden, and even though the main door was locked for the night, there was a path that the servants took. He reached in the tiny jar that was kept in the corner shelf, climbing on top of crates to get it. Feeling victorious, he ran to his room. Thor had been waiting, sitting on Loki’s bed now, and his eyes widened with excitement as Loki presented him a fistful of candy. Thor enjoyed all of them, staying close to Loki the entire night. 

“Thank you, Loki,” he said, drifting off to sleep. Loki didn’t mind sharing his bed, not when it was with Thor, who was warm enough that he didn’t need the blankets. 

—

Frigga discovered the wrappers in Loki’s bed the next morning, and forbid him from having sweets for an entire week. Loki merely accepted this with teary eyes, but not once did he cry. He had fulfilled his promise to Thor, and that was all that mattered.

 

ii.

Thor was but a child, merely curious about everything, which included everything of Loki’s. 

“Don’t touch!” he would say, and Thor would of course touch. It just so happened that his chubby and uncoordinated fingers had accidentally tweaked something out of place, much to the younger prince’s annoyance. 

As retaliation, Loki took Thor’s favourite wooden sword and threw it off the Bifrost, where it would never be seen again. Thor had tried his hardest not to cry, but his pouting was just as effective. Odin had scolded Loki for it, though he could see the younger prince was indeed sorry.

That night, Loki took his older brother’s hand and looked up with shining green eyes and apologized. “I promise to get you another weapon, Thor. One bigger and better, fit for a true warrior!”

-

It would be several years later that Loki would fulfill his promise, though it would come at a price. Thor’s heart cried out when he saw Loki’s lips sewn shut in such a horrendous manner, scarred and bloodied tissue looking painfully inflamed. When he cradled Loki’s face and tried to assess the damage, Loki waved his hands away before scribbling down on a piece of parchment. _“I told you I would get you a better weapon.”_

Thor truly would not have minded if Loki had broken this promise from all those years ago - he would much rather see Loki’s smile. Mjolnir weighed slightly heavier in his hand.

 

iii.

“She thinks I’m dumb,” Thor said bluntly.

“I’m sure that’s not it, brother,” Loki tried to insist. 

“She is quite taken with you,” Thor continued. “And there is no reason not to be, Loki. You are intelligent and unique, truly it is no wonder you have caught her eye.”

“I promise you, Thor,” Loki swore. “There will be nothing between her and I, and one day you will be together just as you wish.”

“Ah, you are too kind,” Thor smiled softly. “But I cannot compete with you.”

—

As each whipping cracked against the ashen skin of his brother, Thor could feel his stomach turn. Each lash revealed a stripe of stark red, dribbling from the wound and down a vast sea of creamy skin. Loki trembled against his bounds, his breathing ragged and sweat gathering upon his brow. He kept his eyes downcast through the entire affair, as Sif stared angrily at him, her hair shorter than his, butchered.

Thor didn’t understand why Loki had done it, he had been friends with Sif, after all, until he remembered Loki’s promise a full moon cycle ago. _Had Loki truly done this to purposely make Sif abhor him? So that her attention may be diverted elsewhere? To …me?_ Thor shook his head sadly. _I hope you never make another promise to me again._

—

Thor and Sif became betrothed within a few week’s time, and Loki was the first to congratulate them. He presented Sif with hair silkier than satin, darker than the drying blood upon Loki’s back.

 

iv.

When they entered Alfheim, Thor had already sensed something was wrong. With Loki close behind him, he made his way through the clearing, heading for the dense forests, where their game would most likely be. There was a rustling of branches, and Thor took off, knowing Loki would follow. He had to trust that Loki would anyway; it’s not as if he could hear Loki’s footsteps for they were much lighter than his own.

They reached a clearing within the thick trees and all at once the air seemed to grow warmer, humid, more constricting.

“I’m afraid we’ve walked into a trap, brother,” Loki said behind him. 

He raised Mjolnir, glad to hear the sharp twang of Loki unsheathing his daggers as well. 

_Crack._

Thor swung towards the sound, but Loki was already ahead. A rogue elf, his form disfigured, dropped out of the tree, with one of Loki’s daggers between his eyes.

“We should leave,” Loki said worriedly, more alert than he had ever been.

Reluctantly, Thor nodded. He hated returning home without a prize to show for it, but his gut was twisted in a sense of tension, not liking the atmosphere of this strange land. As they turned to leave, it seemed like a hundred elven warriors greeted them - surrounded them. 

“Thor!” Loki cried, snapping Thor back to attention. Loki’s daggers were already flying, his empty hands conjuring a wicked flame. Thor stood frozen in shock - his mind and heart raced out of rhythm, his throat became dry and palms sweaty to the point where he thought he might drop Mjolnir altogether. 

“Run!” he heard, once again being brought back to focus. There was a thick smokescreen around them, angry cries filling the air. Loki slipped a hand in Thor’s and tugged. Together, they crashed ungracefully through the forest, Thor almost a dead-weight behind the lithe god. 

“HEIMDALL!” Loki called, panting, looking at Thor with a concerned look in his eyes. There was a moment of panic in Thor’s eyes, realizing they had indeed come away with nothing from their hunt, and he found himself backing away from the site. He couldn’t face Asgard like this, they would never let him hear the end of it!

Loki understood immediately, he knew the warrior’s life though he certainly wasn’t always a part of it. “I promise I’ll take care of this, but please, we need to go!” He reached out to grab Thor, just as the Bifrost storm shot down, bringing them home.

—

“To the hero of Asgard!” Fandral cheered, his goblet raised in the air with a toast. Everyone in the hall gave a roaring hurrah, praises and cheer filling the space. His friends all clapped him upon the shoulder, smiling widely and congratulating him. 

“To Thor!” Volstagg cried, lifting Thor’s hand in the air. Another round of cheers filled the hall, as admiring eyes looked on to the hero. Loki sat back, taking a seat at the head of the table as he usually did, a bandage wrapped tightly around his left arm. 

Thor couldn’t remember when - or why - that had occurred, only that Loki’s gifted tongue had spun the most enchanting lie of their glorious battle in Alfheim, how Thor had taken down a hundred foes with his strength, how he, Loki, had let his guard down for just a moment and would have lost his entire arm had it not been for Thor’s quick thinking. 

There was a twinkle in his brother’s eye, and Thor knew that Loki would keep his secret to the grave. 

 

v.

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” Loki murmured against Thor’s lips.

“I know,” Thor whispered back, before gliding his tongue between the thin lips of his brother, letting the other’s tongue slip against his as well. They tasted of sweets and mead, the night spent laughing and dancing away in the hall. Loki did most of the dancing, his elegant form enraptured the entire audience, and especially Thor. 

They kissed passionately, Thor pushing Loki to the edge of the bed before tipping them both over. There was a comfortable buzzing in his mind that told them this was okay, however far from the truth it may be. Loki’s body was so different from Sif’s, and Thor pushed the thought of his betrothed away to a deep corner of his mind. Right here, in this moment, he had the true beauty of Asgard beneath him, all flawless moonlight and serpent-like eyes looking up at him. Loki’s flesh was cool to the touch and smooth, the sinewy muscles and broad chest were hard underneath Thor’s fingertips, so unlike Sif’s bosom.

“Loki…” he pleaded with worry, even as they were undressing like urgent teenagers. 

“I promise I won’t tell a soul, if that is what you are worried about,” Loki slurred, heat rising in his cheeks. 

Thor nodded just once, a silent contract, and then pushed himself forward, being very, very careful not to scream his brother’s name for his soon-to-be-wife laid just down the hall.

—

Thor and Sif wed happily within a few moons, and the entirety of Asgard cheered for them.

“Brother, Lady Sif,” Loki greeted. Thor’s heart automatically started to hammer in his chest, before Loki slowly produced a little green box. “Congratulations once again, I hope you shall accept my small gift.”

Sif stroked her long, shining hair, having grown used to it - even grown to love it. “I have already received a gift from you from our betrothal night…”

“Please, allow me another.”

Sif curiously took the box to reveal a small package of tea leaves, and another package of strange fruit not native to Asgard. Thor had been staring the whole time, but quickly glanced into the box. To answer their curious eyes, Loki explained. 

“The leaves come from Frigga’s own garden, to help with fertility. The berries come from Alfheim, said to bless you and your child an easy pregnancy with no complications.”

Sif had tears in her eyes, overwhelmed with the thoughtfulness of Loki’s gift. She embraced him in a hug, thanking him repeatedly for being so kind, and that she was sorry for ever subjecting him to the whippings he received so long ago. Over her shoulder, Loki gave Thor a sad smile, and Thor had tears in his eyes for a completely different reason.

 

vi.

“Never doubt that I love you,” Loki said earnestly.

“Thank you,” Thor responded, grateful for having his brother by his side on this day. He clapped a hand to Loki’s neck, brushing the warm softness beneath his fingers. 

“Can I tell you something?”

“Of course,” Loki replied curiously.

“You were right… About me being nervous. What if I am not ready?”

“Thor, you have been waiting for this day to come ever since you were a child,” Loki said incredulously. “What could possibly be holding you back now?”

“I am scared of failing Father and Mother, failing all of Asgard…” Thor let his voice trail off. The next part came out in barely a whisper. “Scared of failing you.”

“There will be no such thing, brother,” Loki huffed. “I will always be proud of you.”

“I just feel that I would be alone in this,” Thor admitted.

“I will never leave your side,” Loki offered.

“Truly?” Thor asked, hopeful blue eyes shining.

“I promise.”

—

Isn’t this he had always wanted? For his brother to be by his side, fighting back-to-back?

 _Not if it ended like this,_ Thor thought bitterly.

Loki staggered beside him, a pale, clammy hand gripping at his chest where the steady stream of crimson leaked, his other arm draped over Thor’s shoulder where the thunderer grabbed it almost too tightly. 

“We have to stop,” Loki gasped, his knees already buckling.

“I can carry you,” Thor protested, not letting Loki down.

“I’m not a child any more!” Loki snapped, and Thor had no choice but to gently lay his brother on the ground, watching the armoured chest rise and fall heavily.

“What can I do? Isn’t there something I can do?” Thor’s brain had become a jumbled mess as he stared at the blood that wasn’t stopping. Why wasn’t it stopping? “Please, Loki, heal yourself!”

“Can’t,” was Loki’s curt reply. “Tell me something.”

“What?”

“Tell me something,” Loki said again, this time slurring his words slightly.

“What would you like to hear?” Thor asked, his hands trembling with fear as he crouched beside Loki.

“Anything.” Loki closed his eyes, dug his fingers into the open wound and muttered something beneath his breath. It seemed to take some of the pain away as Thor saw Loki’s face relax, the furrowed lines of his brow smoothed once more, mouth slack. 

Thor blurted out, “Remember all the promises you made to me?”

He didn’t wait for Loki’s response, just paused long enough to hear Loki drag in a raspy breath. “Because I do. I remember all of them, even the little ones. Remember when you went through all that trouble to get me sweets? I had a terrible ache in my stomach the next day, but it was worth it. I should have told Mother it was all my fault.” 

Another deep breath.

“Then there was that time you threw my sword off the Bifrost. I didn’t think you would remember, but when you brought me Mjolnir… Oh Loki, I just wish you hadn’t made the bet!”

Loki must have tried to speak, but ended up coughing instead, a spurt of violent red shooting from his mouth. Thor quickly placed his hand upon his brother’s fearful for their lives. They were still so far from the Bifrost site, and he doubted anybody was coming to get them. 

“It’s not that I don’t treasure Mjolnir, you know that she is my faovurite weapon, but not just for her glorious strength, but because I am reminded of the sacrifice that my brother has made for me.”

Loki made a humming noise, and Thor smiled down when Loki opened his eyes, a duller green than usual. His breath was shallow this time.

“And remember when -” Thor choked on his next words, heaving to get them out in time. “Remember when you promised to never leave my side? Do you remember that? Because I need you to,” he sobbed. “I never told you enough when we were growing up, but I love you. You were my brother and my best friend, you were the only I could share everything with, the only one I could truly trust, because in all our years of living, you have never once broken a promise to me.”

There didn’t come another breath, Loki’s eyes, now glassy orbs, stared into nothing.

“Right? You’ve never once broken a promise to me?” he whispered, leaning over his brother who lay as still as stone. His tears landed with a small pitter patter on the pale, cold cheek beneath him. “Right, Loki?” he asked frantically; he was at his own end, the tears blurring his vision as he furiously wiped them away, trying desperately to keep Loki a clear image in his eyes.

“But you _promised_ ,” Thor breathed, knowing it was no use now, angry with the Norns for this twisted fate, angry at himself for letting this happen.

Thor would give up all the promises Loki had kept in the past, give up anything, in exchange for this to be the one and only time Loki would keep his word. 

 

—END—

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> feel free to drop by http://thorki-smut.tumblr.com for more works <3 
> 
> All comments + feedback appreciated!


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